47 THANKSGIVING IN THE HEN-HOUSE

BROWN HEN: This is Thanksgiving Day.

How cold it is!

It has snowed all day.

GRAY GOOSE: Indeed it has.

I do not like this day at all.

I wish Jack would come.

It is time for our dinner.

Maybe he will forget us today.

LITTLE CHICK: Peep, peep, I am hungry, too.

All the little chicks are hungry.

RED COCK: Cheer up, Brown Hen.

Cheer up, Gray Goose.

Cheer up, Little Chick.

This is Thanksgiving Day.

We must all be happy today.

BROWN HEN: We can not be happy, Red Cock,

when we are hungry.

We want some water, too.

We don't like to eat snow.

GRAY GOOSE: How cold it is outside!

RED COCK: But it is warm in here.

Jack has filled all the cracks to keep us warm.

The wind can not hurt us now.

And the fox cannot get us.

I am hungry, too, but I won't be sad today.

This is the best day of the year.

BIG TURKEY: Red Cock, you are right.

Brown Hen and Gray Goose are too cross.

We should all be happy today.

RED COCK: Let us sing a glad Thanksgiving song.

Will you sing first, Brown Hen?

You have a fine voice.

BROWN HEN: Cut—cut—ca—da—cut!

RED COCK: Now let us all sing together.

Sing loud.

There! That is fine.

MOTHER: What a noise in the hen-house!

The poor chickens want their Thanksgiving dinner.

FATHER: Jack, you forgot them!

Take them some food.

JACK: Yes, indeed I will.

I will give them a basket of corn and wheat.

MOLLY: And I will take them some water.

Poor chickens! They have not had any Thanksgiving dinner.

Let us run to the hen-house.

GRAY GOOSE: Here come Jack and Molly.

Jack has a basket of corn and wheat.

BROWN HEN: And Molly is bringing a pail of water, too.

RED COCK: Hurrah! I guess the children liked our Thanksgiving song.

Let us all sing again. One, two, three, sing!

JACK: How happy they all are in the hen-house this evening!

MOLLY: They like Thanksgiving Day, too.

(Frances M. Fox)

Word list

hen-house: a house for hens to live

basket: a container for carrying food and other things

You Practice

A) Answer the following questions.

1) What day is it in the story?

2) What did Jack do to help the animals stay warm?

3) Why are Brown Hen, Gray Goose, and Little Chick unhappy?

4) Why do you think Jack forgot to feed the animals?

5) Why did Red Cock suggest the animals sing a glad Thanksgiving song?

B) Characters—This story has many characters. They are people or animals in a story who do something. Match the character with the description.

1) Brown Hen

A) tried to cheer the other animals

2) Red Cock

B) gave the animals water

3) Big Turkey

C) didn't like to eat snow

4) Mother

D) gave the animals corn and wheat

5) Father

E) thought Brown Hen and Gray Goose were too cross

6) Jack

F) reminded Jack to feed the animals

7) Mary

G) thought the henhouse was noisy

C) Opposites—Find the opposites to these words in the story.

1) thirsty: h _ _ _ _ _

2) inside: o _ _ _ _ _ _

3) wrong: r _ _ _ _

4) quiet: l _ _ _

5) take: g _ _ _